Sprinkler valves

ABSTRACT

An emergency water sprinkler carries a baffle plate on two columns mounting the plate on the sprinkler. The baffle plate has teeth spaced about the periphery, at least the teeth immediately adjacent the support columns having deflecting surfaces arranged to deflect the radially outwardly flowing water from a jet emanating from the sprinkler in intersecting paths beyond the respective support elements.

United States Patent 1 i 1 3,918,645

Mohler Nov. 11, 1975 [5 SPRINKLER VALVES 591.266 10/1897 Bishop 169/39 [751 Inventor: Hans Mower, Laugneri, Switzerland $332223 2/1322 FQ'STfijijiiiiiij: .i 169/41 X [73] Assignee: Jomos- Sprinkler-Material AG, Weggis, Switzerland Primary Examiner-John J. Love [22] Filed: July 10, 1974 Attorney. Agent, or Firml(urt Kelman 21 A l. N .:487.269 1 PP 0 57 ABSTRACT [52] us Cl 239/498. 169/37 An emergency water sprinkler carries a baffle plate on 51 lm. c|.'- 80578 01/26 two columns mmming the Plate l The [58] Field of Search 239/498, 504, 169/37, baffle plate has teeth spaced about the periphery. at 169/38 39 b 41 90 least the teeth immediately adjacent the support columns having deflecting surfaces arranged to deflect [56] References Cited the radially outwardly flowing water from a jet emzv nating from the sprinkler in intersecting paths beyond UNITED STATES PATENTS the respective support elements. 316.58l 4/1885 Stratton 169/37 538.593 4/1895 Naylor. Jr. 169/39 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 3 US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 FIG.1

U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet2 of3 3,918,645

Patent Nov 11,1975 Sheet3of3 3,918,645

SPRINKLER VALVES The present invention relates to sprinkler valves, preferably for static mounting, of the type which have a jet carrier, a jet, a baffle plate which is connected to the jet carrier by at least two column-shaped support elements exending from the edge of the baffle plate, and a closureand releasearrangement inserted, under pre-tension, between the jet carrier and the baffle plate.

Sprinkler'valves for firefighting in rooms are known in various embodiments, and through a release element incorporated in their structure, they offer an optimum of operational readiness, with minimum maintenance. Sprinkler valves wherein the emitted water jet is intended to be dispersed in a fine vapour cloud which moistens the area which is to be protected, are suitably provided with a baffle plate which is arranged opposite the place where the jet is emitted. For achieving the greatest possible continuity of the vapour cloud, the jet is preferably directed centrally onto the baffle plate, and it is necessary to have support elements between the jet carrier and the baffle plate which are suitable for this, However, this may tend to considerably disturb the continuity of the vapour cloud, in that the sectors of the area to be protected which are located in the shadow of the support elements, cannot be sprayed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sprinkler valvewhich avoids such a disadvantage and which enables the supply of a practically continuous vapour cloud.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a sprinkler valve of the type described, wherein teeth are spaced about the periphery of the baffle plate, at least the teeth immediately adjacent the support elements being provided with a deflecting surface which serves in use to cause water flowing radially from the centre of the baffle plate to be deflected around the support elements.

An embodiment by way of example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional and part side elevational view of a sprinkler valve for static mounting;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the baffle plate of the sprini kler valve of FIG. I, viewed in the direction of the jet;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the baffle plate of FIG. 2 with a diagrammatical depiction of the flow zones around one of the baffle plate support elements;

FIG. 4 is a section along line IVIV of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a section along line V-V of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1, l designates generally a jet carrier which is provided with inlet bore 77, a coupling screwthread 2 for screwing into a connecting fitting (not shown), nut 3 for tightening the jet carrier in the fitting, and lugs 4 for fixing a baffle plate 5 to the jet carrier by means of column-shaped support elements 6. Located at the upper end of the inlet bore 7 is jet opening 8, in which a closure element 9 is inserted in such manner that it can easily be pushed out. The closure element 9 has a support flange 10 whose lower side is located opposite a seating surface 11 which lies around the jet opening 8, and located between the support flange l0 and the seating surface 11 is a sealing ring 12 made ofTeflon for example. The closure element 9 has a central recess 13 into which projects a section ofa release member 14 which responds to excess temperature. This release member is mounted under the pre-tensioning ofa set of plate springs 15, centered by a clamping ring 16 between the closure element 9 and a support ring 17 lying on the baffle plate 5. Since the release member 14 is preferably a glass member which is filled with liquid, its inclined centering surface 18 lies against a soft copper ring 19 in order to avoid undesirable damage and thus at any rate avoiding inadvertent release.

The closing force acting on the sealing ring 12 which must be greater than the opening force acting on the closure element 9 and caused by the pressure of the water is supplied by the set of springs 15. The pretensioning thereof is determined by the amount by which connecting shafts 20 at the lower end of the baffle plate support elements 6 are pressed into bores 21 in the lugs 4 on the jet carrier 1. After the desired amount of pre-tensioning has been obtained, shafts 20 are immovably anchored in the bores 21. This can be effectedby means of pins 22 (as shown) or by threading or welding.

In response to excess temperature, the release member 14, breaks under the action of water pressure, the closure element 9 and also the parts 12, 15, 16, 17 and 19, located thereabove in the direction of the jet, are hurled away, and a narrow water jet impacts normally on the central area of the baffle plate 5. The jet is thereby broken up and the water, which, for the most part, flows out near tothe surface 25 of the baffle plate must before leaving the baffle plate pass a ring of protruding baffles which are designated, in FIGS. 2 to 5, by 26, 26, 27 and 28, and which will be referred to hereinafter as distributor teeth.

In order for it to be possible to achieve a guided water flow in the areas of the support elements 6, which are a hindrance to flow dividing or vapourising of the water but which, for stress reasons, are relatively thick, radial ribs 29 are provided, which tend to direct water to the distributor teeth 27 and 28 and also to the sectorshaped teeth 26' directly adjacent thereto. Thus a somewhat greater amount of water is led to these teeth than is led to the other sector-shaped teeth 26.

The water which flows against the radially inwardly located surfaces of the teeth 26, 26', 27 and 28 is reflected, with subsequent formation of turbulence, so that no undisturbed flow can occur, even in the gaps between the teeth. In the meantime, the sides of the teeth effect a directional control for the water which is in strongly turbulent motion, Illl order to achieve a practically uniform surface distribution of the vapour cloud of water outside the baffle plate.

FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically the distribution of the water vapour cloud around one of the baffle plate support elements, and the preferred shape of the distributor teeth 27 and 28. The tooth 27 has a bevel on the side nearest the support element to provide a deflecting surface which, in plan view in relation to the baffle plate axis A-A, is inclined by a 5 with reference to the support element 6. The length of the remainder of the tooth side, 27.1, and of the remainder of the tooth front, 27.2, are only of importance in so far as they are capable of influencing the width of the outlet gap for the 5- jet B-B in relation to the adjacent edge of the tooth 28. The tooth 28 has a bevel providing a deflecting surface which is inclined by B 15 in relation to the baffle plate axis A-A, in plan view, and which approximately bisects the tooth. Here, the position of the sectional plane depends mainly upon the spacing which is considered suitable between the adjacent surface region of the support element 6 and the ljet C-C. Since the conditions to the left of the axis AA are the same as those to the right thereof, but in mirror-image, the course of the jet will only be described on the side which is on the right-hand side of the axis.

Between the teeth 26-26, 26-26:, and 26-27, only radial jets R, S, T are possible, but in consequence of the already mentioned turbulence of the extinguishing water, these are by no means compact. The jets, in turbulence with adjacent jets, on the contrary combine together again immediately after leaving the baffle plate, in order, despite the shadow zones" L, M, N and O, to form a continuous cloud of vapour. Between the teeth 27 and 28, jets, with the main directional components U and V are emitted. The latter is influenced, on the one hand, by the bevel on the inner side of the tooth 27 and, on the other hand, by the spacing between this and the adjacent tooth 28. Between the tooth 28 and the support element 6 there are likewise formed two jet main directional components, the radial one being designated by W and that which faces towards the support element, by X. If one combines the jets which are designated by the arrows V, W and X, there results, a little way outside the baffle plate, a directional component designated by the arrow Y, which extends practically parallel to the axis AA. Therefore at a spacing E from the support element 6, which corresponds approximately to about one-third of the baffle plate radius, a continuous vapour cloud is present, and the influence of the shadow of the support element is substantially compensated for.

It is to be understood that the dimension E can be widely influenced by variation of the bevel on the tooth 28. It is important that the angle [3 is not made so small that the bevel 30 on the tooth comes to lie on a tangent to the support element 6, or even intersects such a tangent. In this case, the jet-deflecting influence of the outflow region on the support element would be so great that danger would exist of a shadow zone occurring outside the support element. For the reasons stated above, there results, as a further condition, the selection of an angular spacing between the tangent W on the support element 6 and the radial W through the adjacent side edge of the tooth 28, which corresponds approximately to that between the side walls of the teeth; i.e. the distances m, with reference to the circumference of the baffle plate, are practically all equal in size.

These explanations show that the described measures on the teeth 27 and 28 also lead to success even when the baffle plate 5 is connected not only by two but also by three or more support elements 6, with the jet member. In such a case, of course, a radial rib 29 is associated with each of the support elements 6; and then there exist more than two regions of the baffle plate in which symmetry prevails with respect to a bisector which divides the baffle plate regions concerned into two halves which are of mirror-image construction.

To further improve the characteristics of the vapour cloud, the surface of the baffle plate may be inclined. FIGS. 4 and 5 are two sections, at right angles to one another, through the baffle plate 5, from which can be seen the inclination of the surface by 5, starting from the baffle plate-bisecting ridge H H in FIG. 3 and proceeding on both sides in the downwards direction towards the support elements 6. By means of this inclination which extends, as shown in FIG. 5, up to as far as the connection between the plate and the support elements thereof, there is effected an intensification of the water flow in the direction towards those teeth which lie closest to the support elements 6. In addition, the ridge H-H is inclined at an angle of 5 upwardly towards the edge of the baffle plate, as shown in FIG. 4, to further intensify the water flow towards these teeth. It is thereby possible to improve the turbulence of the water before it passes out of the tooth gaps.

An annular raised portion 31 is provided in the centre of the baffle plate. To further improve the flow characteristics of the water, the edges of this portion are bevelled at an angle of 30 to the axis of the water jet, as shown in FIG. 4.

The abovementioned angular measurement a, [3 (FIG. 2), the angle of 5 for the gable like inclination of the baffle plate surface, and the slope of 30 between the central raised portion 31 of the plate and the rebound surface, are ideal measurements with respect to a baffle plate construction of the type illustrated, with a plate diameter of 30 mm and a total number of teeth amounting to 20. It is understood that the angles may deviate somewhat from these measurements, with other plate sizes and other numbers of teeth. Moreover it has proved that by angle-variations of i 20% there only result negligible deviations from the ideal uniformity of the resulting vapour-cloud of extinguishing water.

What we claim is:

1. In combination, a water sprinkler valve comprising means for producing a water jet, a carrier for the water jet producing means, a baffle plate having a periphery, the baffle plate having a surface spaced from the means for producing the water jet and positioned to cause the water to flow radially from the center of the baffle plate towards the periphery thereof, the baffle plate including at least two column-shaped support elements extending from the periphery thereof and supporting the baffle plate on the carrier, and teeth spaced about the periphery, at least the teeth immediately adjacent the support elements having deflecting surfaces arranged to deflect the radially outwardly flowing water in intersecting paths beyond the respective support elements, and pre-tensioned means between the carrier and the baffle plate for normally closing the water jet producing means and for releasing the same for producing the water jet.

2. In the combination of claim 1, at least a part of the baffle plate surface being inclined towards the periphery in the direction of the water flow.

3. In the combination of claim 2, a ridge lying in a plane perpendicular to, and bisecting, a line joining two adjacent ones of the support elements, and the baffle plate surface being inclined towards the periphery on both sides of the ridge.

4. In the combination of claim 3, the ridge being inclined towards the periphery in a direction opposite to that of the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate.

5. In the combination of claim 4, the ridge enclosing an angle of 95 1 with the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate.

6. In the combination of claim 2, the baffle plate surface enclosing an angle of 1 with the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate.

port elements enclosing an angle of 5 i 1 with the radial plane.

10. In the combination of claim 1, a central raised portion on the baffle plate surface, the central portion having sides enclosing an angle of 60 i 6 with the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate. 

1. In combination, a water sprinkler valve comprising means for producing a water jet, a carrier for the water jet producing means, a baffle plate having a periphery, the baffle plate having a surface spaced from the means for producing the water jet and positioned to cause the water to flow radially from the center of the baffle plate towards the periphery thereof, the baffle plate including at least two column-shaped support elements extending from the periphery thereof and supporting the baffle plate on the carrier, and teeth spaced about the periphery, at least the teeth immediately adjacent the support elements having deflecting surfaces arranged to deflect the radially outwardly flowing water in intersecting paths beyond the respective support elements, and pre-tensioned means between the carrier and the baffle plate for normally closing the water jet producing means and for releasing the same for producing the water jet.
 2. In the combination of claim 1, at least a part of the baffle plate surface being inclined towards the periphery in the direction of the water flow.
 3. In the combination of claim 2, a ridge lying in a plane perpendicular to, and bisecting, a line joining two adjacent ones of the support elements, and the baffle plate surface being inclined towards the periphery on both sides of the ridge.
 4. In the combination of claim 3, the ridge being inclined towards the periphery in a direction opposite to that of the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate.
 5. In the combination of claim 4, the ridge enclosing an angle of 95* + or - 1* with the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate.
 6. In the combination of claim 2, the baffle plate surface enclosing an angle of 85* + or - 1* with the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baffle plate.
 7. In the combination of claim 1, ribs on the baffle plate extending radially towards the support elements for directing water away from the support elements.
 8. In the combination of claim 1, the deflecting surfaces enclosing an angle of 15* + or - 3* with a radial plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the immediately adjacent support element.
 9. In the combination of claim 8, the deflecting surfaces of the teeth nearest to a respective one of the support elements enclosing an angle of 5* + or - 1* with the radial plane.
 10. In the combination of claim 1, a central raised portion on the baffle plate surface, the central portion having sides enclosing an angle of 60* + or - 6* with the water flow from the water jet producing means to the baFfle plate. 